Christmas at the Grand America

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: houses are glowing with lights and Christmas trees are popping up in windows around the city as everyone begins counting down the days til Santa Claus comes to town. But if it’s the holiday spirit you’re looking for, there’s no better way to get in the mood than by visiting The Grand America Hotel.

The Grand America Hotel is enchanting on its own, but Christmas at the Grand America is easily the most wonderful time of the year. The halls are decked with Christmas-themed windows and there’s a month full of holiday-themed activities. The holiday season is such an event that the Grand even has a special holiday-themed website: holidays.grandamerica.com.

Here are some of the holiday festivities taking place at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City.

One of the holiday-themed windows at the Grand America.

The Holiday Window Stroll

The shops at the Grand are decked in holiday cheer. See them all on the Holiday Window Stroll and make sure to grab a stroll guide to help find all the ABCs for a complimentary treat near the giant gingerbread house. Don’t forget to post a picture on Instagram for a chance to win an overnight stay with brunch and spa access. Visit the stroll Sunday-Thursday 4-9 pm or Friday-Saturday 10 am-9 pm.

The giant gingerbread house at the Grand America.

The Giant Gingerbread House

The pastry chefs at the Grand have created a massive gingerbread house that’s both beautiful and impressive. The house, located in the ballroom corridor, is completely edible. But don’t try this at home–the recipe requires staggering amounts of ingredients: 2000 eggs, 1300 lbs of flour, 300 lbs of sugar, 900 lbs of icing, 2000 gum balls and nearly 1440 hours of labor. On display until December 31.

If you’re anxious to create your own gingerbread dream house, the pastry team is hosting a Gingerbread House Class on December 22 at 1 pm for $25. Tickets are available online here.

Jack Frost in a winter wonderland :: another window along the Holiday Window Stroll.

Events with Santa Claus

Santa Claus is coming to town and of course he’s staying at the Grand. Join jolly old St. Nicholas for afternoon tea or have breakfast with him and Mrs. Claus. Or spend the whole weekend with him with the Santa at the Grand Package with special turn-down treats and event access. Various dates throughout December.

If you just want to relax and fight back the frost nipping at your nose, warm up with afternoon tea in the decked halls of the luxurious lobby throughout December at 1 or 3:30 pm for $24/person ($20/children). Don’t forget to check out the shopping specials, too.

Christmas-themed cocktails from the Gibson Lounge. (The Golden Era, with coffee and scotch, was amazing!)

All I Want for Christmas is Food

Leave the stress of cooking Christmas meals to the Grand with Sunday brunch at the Garden Cafe throughout December (10 am-2 pm; $49/adults $24.50/children), or celebrate with brunch on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (both served 6:30 am-10 am; $20/$10).

If lunch is more your style, lunch buffets happen on both days (11 am-3 pm, $29/$15) or hold off until dinner for the prix fix specials (5:30 pm-9 pm; $39/$15). See details and menus here. Reservations recommended.

Skip the chestnuts and enjoy cocktails near the open fire.

And a Happy New Year

Once the gifts have been opened and you’ve stuffed yourself full of sweets, head to the Grand to ring in the new year. There are buffet specials, a prix fix dinner for New Year’s Eve and an enhanced breakfast buffet for New Year’s Day, all sure to start the year off in the right direction. See details on the New Year’s Events here.

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Spending Christmas at the Grand America is sure to put visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. And if that doesn’t do it, the special drinks at the Gibson Lounge should do the trick. (Pssst! Try the burger there, too!)

Hi, I'm Kelli Nakagama! Welcome to Random Acts of Kelliness, a food and travel blog based in Chicago. I'm a Chicago addict, food fanatic,
opera aficionado, and whiskey enthusiast with a series case of wanderlust.